This is the paranormal blog of author Lynda Hilburn, http://www.lyndahilburnauthor.com

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Guest Author Shara Lanel

The
Sabbat Samhain

Samhain, often said to be pronounced “Sow-in” is the sabbat
of the New Year for most Wiccans, the name coming perhaps from the Irish Gaelic
word for “summer’s end.” This is at the time we celebrate Halloween (“Hallowed
Evening”). The veil between worlds is said to be the thinnest at this time,
thus its association with death and divination. This was the time of the very
last harvest, when the less healthy animals were slaughtered so that the
healthier animals had more feed to survive until spring. Therefore Samhain was
a feast day. At this time the Horned God dies and the Crone aspect of the
Goddess reigns until Yule when the God is reborn, promising the return of the
light.

The Norse god Loki, the trickster, is considered at his
height during this time, perhaps having something to do with our handed-down
tradition of trick-or-treat. And the goddesses Hekate and Cerridwen are often
associated with Samhain because of their crone/Dark Mother/Underworld goddess
aspects.

Since the veil between the world of the living and the dead
is thin, Samhain is a great time to set out plates of food for our ancestors,
perhaps in front of a window lit with a candle to light their way. We may also
try to contact them for divination purposes. We may wear masks of our ancestors
to help. We can also share our experiences of the past year with our passed
loved ones, such as writing a letter to them with our accomplishments and
failures of the past year, which can be cathartic for the living.

One of the key elements of Samhain, when all seems dead or
dying, is the reminder that the Wheel of the Year turns and all will be reborn
again at the Yule sabbat.

Shylah, a small-town teacher, has put her arcane history behind
her, until two students are murdered occult style. Her Wiccan religion is
outed. She loses her job and deals daily with ridicule. The obvious thing would
be to leave town, but she refuses—she’s innocent.

Gabriel is a PI from California dealing with his aunt’s cold
shoulder. She wants him to fly to Virginia to solve his cousin’s murder, but he
doesn’t have the money or the time until he breaks a big case he’s been working
on. Now his cousin’s case is three months cold with one hot witchy suspect and
no proof. As soon as he sees Shylah, he wants her, for a lot more than just
questioning.

Gabe has the power to make Shylah’s insides melt and her judgment
fade. She knows he can bring her down if he discovers the twisted magick of her
past, but every time he touches her, she can’t say no. She needs to get him to
see past prejudice and help her find the real killer. Together, they make magic
in more ways than one.

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